As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
For almost 50 years, Singer sewing machines of the United States, produced two basic models, the 15 - 88 and the 15 - 91.
What is unique about these all metal machines, is that they were designed to have a hand crank attachment, for leverage to sew through almost 3/8ths inches of leather. These things were built to not just sew curtains, but to sew harness leather and canvas on American farms.
They really are rather remarkable machines and the only "problem" they really have is people lost the manuals and never kept them oiled. Yes if one just kept these machines oiled and cleaned, they were like Winchester Model 12 shotguns in being almost indestructible.
I have been thinking about getting a sewing machine, but did not know jack or shit about them. The modern ones basically all come out of China and spending 500 to 800 dollars one of those is like throwing money away on Chinese lack of quality control. The industrial machines will run several thousand dollars which is out of my price range with the non generous non donors showing they got a ticket to ride to hell in stealing God's directions on the Lame Cherry.
So on Holy Ghost impulse one night in a funk about the weather, I started looking and came across an old sewing machine repair guy and he was offering his reconditioned 15 88's. I read things, let things set and ponder them, and the thing the Holy Ghost jumped out at me was that hand crank. The lights go EMP out and I still got a sewing machine.
The mother actually has a cabinet fold down sewing machine with treadle wheel. The more I read about these old Singers like Libby Custer could "make fly", the more it started to occur to me that they are all metal and just like a metal shotgun jams if you do not oil it, that is probably what is wrong with all of these old machines.
That is important to me, as the mother had this heavy ass sewing machine, that worked, but that new thread was always breaking or knotting up. Again, when I get more familiar with this 88, I am going to start looking at that other one, in the cabinet and the floor model. I happened to have been given one my Grandmother had, same model, same kinds of problems, same generosity from my godfather as his fat daughter did not want it. The reason she did not want it, was the motor was froze on it. So I took the belt off, spun it, oiled it, got it moving, left it plugged in and let her rev up for sometime and soon enough that old electric motor was working as it should.
I am guessing Grandma did not have the right oil, probably use the Singer oil for God knows what, and "dat's goot enuff" she used some engine oil or for all I know Fluffo lard. That woman could find the cheapest ass stuff to make her food taste as bad as squaw cooking and by .........her food always tasted like shit.
I remember we had tapioca pudding one time. Was like so old it died before Jesus. Beloved Uncle drank his without a word, I just acted like this is not right, spoon fed that shit down and I never have ate tapioca since. So her sewing machine is one of those that do not work the best, but will most likely work once I put the right oil in the right spots. The reason for that is..........then I will have a light sewing machine, for like making pillows, and this 88 for what I got it for in putting new skins on my Carhartt jackets and coats, as I will not spend 160 dollars for a coat that I am going to have cow shit on.
Speaking of pillows. I was telling TL the other day about the dead brother. He came back hunting one year, and never liked my Christmas presents. He had shot some Snow and Blue geese and was picking them in the barn (now fallen down, thanks non donors) and I picked up a paper sack of down and got some camo cloth with black lace and made him a pillow.
I can still see him holding that pillow, telling our brother in law, "LC made me this pillow and it is stuffed with the down of geese I shot".
His kids got everything as they should, when he died, but not one blessed offer of anything he had, if I wanted to buy something or just have for all I did. Pillow is probably covered in dog shit by now and his guns lost in the river. Great legacy for that self centered conniving bastard. Yeah the more I have thought about him over the past year, the more upset I get over how selfish he was. Kids did not fall far from that tree.
John that smells like it came out of a whorehouse...
So I doubt I will be sewing pillows, as I have a whorehouse pillow, direct from John Wayne in the Shootist. Mine is a big one, pretty whore coloured burgundy satin with black lace and smells of whore perfume as I wanted it that way. Also is stuffed with the goose down of Canadian geese I shot as a kid. Always wanted the money to build a nice underground house and have my pillow on display. Use to want lots of things, now mostly want Jesus to come back so I can rest.
But until then, I got this industrial Singer from the last century, almost 100 years old and none of these will ever be made again of this quality. It will outlast me as it outlasted the oldster who had it.
So you have not invested as I told you in needle and thread as I have in my prep kit, and you have not invested in a real machine to sew things when your things wear out. I guess if you survive you can work your ass off on animal hides, rubbing rotten brains on them, and other fun stuff. Me I will have invested in some yards of cloth, moth balls and chest so I will be the one not stinking like smoked rotten animal brains.
It is amazing for all those glow worm preppers and you who listen to them, that they never tell you a thing about survival in what is really necessary in mending your clothes. It is because except for guns and food in a bag they do not know shit and are going to die along with you non donors fast getting shot by people who have stuff and have guns.
That million dollar sewing machine.
Nuff Said.
agtG
